From vendors to shoppers to general onlookers, it was almost impossible to find a negative opinion on the new St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market building as it opened to the public Thursday.
“It’s not the same, but it’s lovely,” said shopper Betty Wheeler.
“It’s nice that it’s still old-looking.”
The new building replaces the one destroyed by fire on Labour Day 2013.
It was deliberately built to evoke the feel of its predecessor, with wood construction and a similar layout.
It was also built to improve on that first building, with an additional 10,000 square feet of space – which means more room in the aisles – as well as elevators and a sprinkler system.
“It’s great, absolutely beautiful,” said Lino Satrossa, of vendor Angela’s Secret Garden.
Specifically, Satrossa said he likes being able to look down from his second-floor location and “enjoy the people” milling about down below – a view also available in the previous building.
Fellow vendor Jillian Gilmour and her mother lost their entire inventory to the fire.
They were soon back at it at the temporary building set up by the market’s owner, and opened inside the new building Thursday.
“It has been a struggle emotionally (and) financially for every vendor in here, but we couldn’t be more thrilled to be back,” Gilmour said.
